User Reviews (21 - 31 of 309)

Show these reviews first:

Highest Rated
Lowest Rated Newest
Oldest Most Helpful
Least Helpful

The beta shows some promise...

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 10 / 16
Date: September 15, 2003
Author: Amazon User

First off, I would like to smile at the number of reviews on this game based off of X-Box players who haven't even seen the PC version.

I have played the beta, so let me give you my perspective...

Halo for X-Box is, in my opinion, the best X-Box game. But this review is for the PC version, and I can tell you that this port of sorts is no pushover. It is definitly a progression from the original game, as Microsoft is bring in new maps, two new weapons (the fuel-rod and flamethrower), and more vehicles. The new content is not yet all available in the beta however. The new vehicles include the banshee (the covenant's flying fighter), a rocket-equipped warthog jeep, and the covenant gun turret.

Playing this game on your computer is a definite step up from the X-Box. The graphics and sound effects are improved. Also, the music seems to be a lot clearer on the PC. And, of course, Halo LAN parties are a blast (no pun intended).

Multiplayer is simply amazing. The ability to customize EVERY game type and even make your own makes for a truely unique experience. And vehicles, as in the X-Box version, make the gameplay pretty crazy.

However, I had to dock the game a star. Most multiplayer PC games (noteably Counter-Strike) allow up to 32 players. Halo only allows 16 players, or 8 vs. 8 teams. With the shear size and complexity of levels and the amount of vehicles, it is dissapointing to see the lower maximum of players. I'm not talking "Battlefield 1942" large, but even CS with it's small levels allows 32 players. I was just a little dissapointed.

(I also cannot comment on Internet Play as it is not available in the Beta. However, I can expect that Microsoft will optimize their game to run very smoothly for online play.)

Still, I can safely say this game won't be a waste of your money, and I will definitly fly to the store to purchase Halo when it is released.

And then I'll be flying my Banshee all around!

Halo PC just rocks!

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 11 / 19
Date: September 30, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Wow, the multiplayer battles are just intense. This is the best online multiplayer FPS ever! And just wait until the mods start coming out, the replay value will be infinite. People on the XBox still play Halo after two years and there are good reasons. There is just nothing like it. The vehicles are masterfully integrated into the game and give you a sense of a large-scale war going on.

Better than the XBOX version.

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 7 / 10
Date: May 10, 2005
Author: Amazon User

First off let me just say, I originally got Halo for the XBOX and beat it many many times. The only reason I even ended up with Halo for the PC is because it came with my sound blaster card.

I just built a new PC because I wanted to get back into PC gaming. I have always heard that with the right components, PC games tend to be better than their console counterparts. The same holds true for Halo, eventhough I absolutely LOVE Halo for the XBOX.

After finishing up my PC. I installed this game and was almost immediately blown away for the crisp clean graphics and fluid movements. Also I was impressed by the quick loading times in this game. Even on my XBOX this game had to load levels, while general XBOX loading times are not nearly as bad as PS2. Compared to Halo for the PC, XBOX loading times are SLOW too! In Halo for the PC, the level loads virtually immediately. This helps keep you in the game more than its XBOX counterpart.

As far as the game goes its almost EXACTLY the same as the XBOX version. Except with better graphics, quicker loading times, more fluid motions and VERY subtle level tweaks. The keyboard and mouse set up allows you greater control over the master cheif as well, I guess this is why the game seems a bit easier on the PC, at least for me. Eventhough this game is exactly the same as it is on the XBOX, somehow this feels like a brand new game. I am playing it again from start to finish.

The only advantage that the XBOX has over the PC when playing this game is that my BOX is hooked up to a 53inch HDTV. Which is almost 3 times the size of my PC monitor. Even still bigger is not always better, because even on my tiny 17 inch monitor, the graphics on the PC version are much better than the XBOX even with the HDTV kit for the XBOX.

Another difference is that Halo for the PC has built it network support for multiplayer games. I haven't used it yet, but may try it out in the days to come. Eventhough I must say I don't really like online play because just about everyone online cheats.

All in all I am very impressed with the game on the PC. Same game as the console, but with better graphics; no grainess whatsoever.

And just in case you were wondering here are my PC specs:
AMD Athlon 64 3000+
MSI K8N Neo Platinum
ATI Radeon 9800 Pro
1GB of Corsair PC3200 Memory
200 GB 7200 RPM Maxtor HD
Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS
Samsung DVD+-RW
Samsung CD-RW

No reason to complain

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 6 / 8
Date: October 03, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Halo is a great game. It truly rocks. And if you arent getting more than 20 FPS its not because you dont have an Athlon processor. Like the guy who complained, I also have a geforce 4 fx 5600 256mb video card. THE PROBLEM IS WITH THE VIDEO DRIVERS. The new nvidia drivers should help when they come out. For now, if you are getting bad FPS and have an NVidia card, right click on the Halo shortcut and goto properties. Where it says Target, it will probably say "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\halo.exe" Anyway, after the second " marks after the .exe, add -console and -use11

It should now look like "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Games\Halo\halo.exe" -console -use11

That will fix it. You should now have a pretty constant frame rate of 30+. I know this wasnt much of a review, but I love Halo and I dont liek when people act like their smart and try to diss it. I also want everyone to have a better experience with it and not give it bad ratings because of something that doesnt even have to do with Halo. When the new detonator drivers come out, the problem should be fixed and you can erase the -use11.

There. NOW HAVE FUN PLAYIN HALO! Multiplayer rocks. So does single player. If you like FPS, you should be very pleased. Also, expect a demo to come out in the next few days, so try it out if you want to.

Halo, not excellent, but not bad either.

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: March 15, 2004
Author: Amazon User

I think many reviewers here have exaggerated the bad points about this game. After completing the game a few times, I decide to write this review.
1. The story is good. The objective for each level doesn't really reveal what to expect in the next level. This keeps me interested. The most boring level comes at the middle of the story when fighting is so repetitive and uninteresting. After that it gets better but I think the first half of the game is the most fun part.
2. The graphic is not that bad as some people said, except in some certain levels that everything looks bland. I would say, 80% of the graphic looks impressive although it can't be compared with the mind-blowing Tron 2.0. My computer is 2 years old (P4 1.8GHz, with 128MB AGP Radeon) and it runs the game fine at the second highest resolution (800x600). When I tried the highest resolution, the game became so lagged that it was impossible to play smoothly. So I'd say you don't need a top notch computer to play this game like some reviewers mentioned.
3. Multiplayer game maps are good but I agree with one of the reviewers that some team killers just spoil everything. Even at this day, these morons are still there spoiling the game. I was so annoyed that I stopped playing the online game.
4. This game is pretty stable. I haven't had one hitch, unlike Tron 2.0 that was plaqued with bugs when it was released.
5. I don't like the savepoint because some savepoints are too far apart and it's annoying that you have to replay what you just did 10 min ago. They should allow players to save wherever we want.
6. The AI is very good. Some of the enemies are dumber than the others but that makes the game more fun. I disagree with a reviewer who said that the game is too hard even in Easy level. I have completed the Normal level a few times and find it challenging but not too difficult. If you think the Easy level is too difficult, wait until you play the Heroic level. I tried it once and found it much more challenging (more enemies, more grenades, and more hunters[big monster that fires a canon]). However, if you play it wisely, you can beat them. Do not just run to them and expect them to stand there waiting to be slaughtered. Also, you feel outgunned because you don't use the right weapon for the right enemy. Some enemies are easily killed by a particular weapon that the others. The distance and the part of body that you shoot at also have an effect on how easily they die. The way to beat AI is to be smarter than them.

GOOD OVERALL, SOME CONS

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 5 / 6
Date: February 26, 2005
Author: Amazon User

If you haven't played Halo yet, need a new game to occupy your time, and don't want to shell out the cash for a new release like Halflife 2, FarCry, etc...Halo and Halflife 1 are good choices. Graphics are more than acceptable, not overly detailed, but not grainy or annoying. Gameplay in single player mode is lots of fun at times, but sometimes a bit repetative as you notice why the system requirments are low. (Low level detail, and overly repetative hallways and rooms at times). Weapons are fun, and you don't always have to walk, as there are fun and easily controlled modes of transportation. Don't listen to the guy ripping on it as not being the mecca of video games, it, along with the first halflife were at one point, the guy that disagrees with this makes some good points, but also compares it to FarCry and Halflife 2...which are from a completely different generation. I will agree with him that the storyline is "linear" (predictable) at times, but this is true of most games anyway. OVERALL: WELL WORTH THE INVESTMENT @ LESS THAN $20 IF YOU SHOP AROUND. I LIKED HALFLIFE (original, not 2) BETTER, BUT WAS NOT DISAPPOINTED WITH HALO.

Pretty good

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 11, 2003
Author: Amazon User

There's a lot to like about this game, and a few things that are lacking. It appears that most of the completely favorable reviews are from xbox owners, while the disparaging remarks are largely from PC-only folks. I'm going to try to review the game (which I am playing for the first time on a PC) without getting emotional about the platform.

Halo is a straight "scoot & shoot" type game. There are no items to pick up (other than weapons and some rare power-ups), very few switches to operate, and nothing to puzzle your way out of. If you're into FPS games on the PC, the closest thing to it is probably Serious Sam. It lacks the variety of environments and tactical depth of games like Half-Life and Deus Ex, but by the same token it avoids the almost overwhelming complexity of some recent PC games.

The graphics, particularly in the outdoor scenes, are lovely. The Covenant critters some a little cartoony at first, because they're in bright day-glo colors, but that impression fades quickly. The action is brisk and frequently intense. The AI is good, especially when it comes to the other soldiers on your side.

One of my favorite features is the variety of vehicles, all of which have different capabilities. Computer-controlled teammates will hop on and shoot at things as you drive around in some of them.

The music is exceptional. I usually turn the music completely off in games, but it really adds something here.

The game is not without flaws. The level designers re-used rooms frequently, leading to frequent "wasn't I just here?" and the occasional "am I going forward or back the way I came?". One painfully long trek through the Library (chasing a blue mechanical Tinkerbell) goes on forever, with hordes of aliens piling on. The mindless repetition doesn't belong in this game.

Other reviewers have commented on low frame rates. I found it acceptable on my somewhat older system (an Athlon 1900 with a GeForce3) after reducing all graphics options to the minimum.

The single-player game is shorter than most PC FPSs, on the order of 10-12 hours.

I tried a couple rounds of multiplayer Capture the Flag. Most weapons fire slow-moving bolts or are inaccurate at long ranges, and everyone has regenerating shields, so the action tends to be up close and personal rather than long-distance sniperfests. This is neither good nor bad, simply different.

On the whole, Halo is a great deal of fun to play, with a few frustrations. If you're only interested in the single-player campaign, the game is a little short, so you may want to hold off until the price drops. The multi-player experience has a much different feel from other PC shooters, and is worth a look.

Definitely worth the money

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 18, 2003
Author: Amazon User

I bought the game today and have been playing it for 7 hours non-stop. Here are the cons and pros:

Pros:

-Multiplayer is awesome. Battles are huge, it's really easy to find servers with lots of people in them.

-New weapons and vehicles add more variety to the already intense multiplayer mode.

-New maps are breath-taking.

-The graphics on a PC are much superior to those on X-box, so if you got a high-end PC, you can enjoy every little detail the game has to offer.

Cons:

-It seemed to me that they kind of rushed it. Somethings FEEL incomplete.

-Multiplayer still has no music. I mean, the game is not based on stealth and listening for footsteps (like counterstrike and others) so I think some background music would be nice.

-There doesn't seem to be any control over distruptive players. People kill their teammates for fun, or even to get into vehicles that don't spawn that often (like the banshee).

-You need a fast connection for multiplayer. I have DSL, and I sometimes get lag, which sucks because you cannot play this game with any kind of lag. I guess the size of data packages in multiplayer is too big for so many people and this ends up in your falling off cliffs when not moving or being run over by vehicles that weren't there a second ago.

-If you're a returning player from x-box, then you'll definitely feel the lack of the force-feedback controllers. Especially when I first started playing it, I couldn't tell if I was being hit or not since mice or keyboards don't shake when you get hit, so I died quite a lot, even in single player. But you get used to it, I guess. Over time.

Overall- I think a few patches can make this game a hit. It's still good though.

I give it an 8.5 out of 10, and definitely worth the 39.99 Amazon.com price.

This is the evolution of Combat

5 Rating: 5, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Halo: Combat Evolved is a brilliant game made by Bungie. It was originally supposed to come out for PC, but Microsoft bought Bungie and they made it for the X-Box. Well, now, thanks to Gearbox, us PC gamers are finally going to experience what was Game of the Year two years ago.

First, I will address the performance issue that most people seem to worry about. Yes, Halo is not really optimized for PC, but even in the lower settings it still looks great. So just experiment with the video settings until you get a satisfying performance.

GAMEPLAY- Halo is perhaps the most fun I have ever had playing an FPS. The enemy AI is excellent; enemies rush for cover, use team tactics, and jump away from grenades. The friendly marines AI is solid too. The actually help you and not just blindly shoot everywhere, as in some other games. The sci-fi story is well written and keeps you wondering what will happen next.

GRAPHICS- This game looks amazing. Extensive use of shaders and bumpmapping is seen, and it really works. Textures are hyper-detailed (even upclose) and the enemies are nicely detailed. Weapon models look realistic and the Master Chief (you) is what a cyborg super soldier should look like.

SOUND- Voice acting is excellent, for the most part. The music is what shines here. Most PC games do not have good music but Halo is an excepion. The weapon sound effects are top-notch.

So does this game have any flaws? Unfortunatley, yes. Some levels (especially Assault on the Control Room) are Very repetive in design. This means that there are some areas that look exactly the SAME. The good part is, you will have so much fun slaying the Covenant that it is not so bad as it sounds.

If you are still unsure, you can always download the demo at www.microsoft.com.

Halo, if not the best game this year out for the PC, is one of the best. If only all game developers were as talented as those at Bungie. I recommend this game fully and no FPS fan should be without it.

Good game, but there are better games for the PC

4 Rating: 4, Useful: 4 / 4
Date: October 20, 2003
Author: Amazon User

Yes, you are all thinking it. How could someone give one of the "greatest games ever made" 4 out of 5 stars? Actually I would have liked to give it 3.5 but 4 is close enough. Here are just a few of my opinions:
---Single Player---
The gameplay is great, and the AI is smart which is saying a lot because not many games have good AI. The story is pretty good and it'l keep you interested. Graphics are quite nice although maybe not the best these days. Unfortunately, much of the sound could be better and some of the aliens just look lame and not quite fearsome or even dangerous for that matter. Voice acting isn't terrible but I've heard better...everyone sounds too happy like they are having all sorts of fun as their buddies get blown to bits, with the exception of the occasional one liners from fellow soldiers, which I always thought were a bit unnecessary. The objective voice seemed a bit out of place to me. The music is pretty good and it doesn't sound bad at all, but it seemed a bit to calm to me at times. For example, while storming a beach with about 10 other comrades the the music sounded like something out of Riverdance. The combat was intense, the music was not. Finally, on many PC's it runs extremely slow. I have a decent computer that runs most games at hight resolutions just fine but for Halo's single player I had to bring the graphics down to 640x480 and add the special command line to a shortcut as listed in the previous review. People say this is going to be fixed, and that it shouldn't bring down the score, but this glitch has only happened with Halo and NOT any other that I have ever played. So, in summary I'd give the single player alone four stars. It's quite fun but it might not be for everyone and there are a few glitches that will need to be resolved.

---Multiplayer---
If you like the vehicles and open terrain of Battlefield 1942 but you want faster paced gameplay in a futuristic universe like in the Unreal Tournament series, then you'll probably love the Halo multiplayer. For me, it was fun for a while but there just aren't enought vehicles and the gameplay modes seem a bit uninspired. On top of that I experienced some staggering connection problems on most servers. If you can find a fast server with a lot of people in it you will get the most out of multiplay, else it turns into a frustrating lagfest. I like the vehicles but I don't think there is much variety. Fortunately, the glitch that plagues most people's single player games doesn't seem to affect multiplayer. That's what I have found anyway. I'd give multiplayer alone three stars.

---Summary---
Halo was probably the best game ever...when it first came out. It is still quite good now, but it never really hooked me. On top of that it was supposed to come out for the PC first, but now that it has been re-worked for the PC it would seem that the X-Box version might be better. Yep, if you have an X-Box and a PC, and for some reason you have not bought Halo yet with all its hype and dedicated fans, stick with the X-Box version. Multiplay is fun but with many games already doing similar things to what is done in the Halo multiplayer, I don't think it's worth coughing up an extra 45+ bucks for.

---What I reccomend instead---
Battlefield 1942 - Has tons of vehicles, a unique style of gamepley, and nice graphics. Plenty of fast servers out there for this game, and 2 expansion packs that really do add great extra content to it. It's a WWII game of course, so maybe it isn't for everyone but it's still the best multiplayer game out there in my opinion. The gameplay can be slow at times (especially if you have to run accross the environments on foot), so if you want an intense faced paced game you might want to hold off on this one. There is a good multiplayer demo out for this one.

Call of Duty - Ok, everything is amazing about this game. It's a lot like Halo, maybe less vehicles to control but the intensity, sound, voice acting, graphics, and everything is top notch. It's single player is like playing throught a movie and your buddies AI is probably some of the best I've seen yet, even better then Halo's. It's also a WWII game, but even if you don't like that setting you will love the gameplay of this game. If you don't believe me, download the demo for yourself.

Unreal Tournament 2004 - Take Unreal Tournament 2003 and add vehicles (including aircraft) and new gameplay modes (Assault and Onslaught), and you've got what will probably be a great game (this game wasn't out yet when this review was written, so you might want to wait until official reviews come out for it :D). This game might have the most appeal to Halo fans. It promises fast paced gameplay and things to drive/fly in a futuristic universe. Will probably be the best alternative to Halo's multiplay. You can try the Unreal Tournament 2003 demo (no vehicles in this one) but you might have to wait for a UT2004 demo.

Review Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Next 

Actions